(Month 2 of an 18 month retrospective of the films Directed and Written by the Coen Bros.). After the success of their debut film, BLOOD SIMPLE, in 1984, the Coen Brothers wanted to do something completely different with their 2nd film. And with the off-beat comedy, RAISING ARIZONA, they certainly succeeded. Starring 2 young and up-and-coming performers in Nicholas Cage and Holly Hunter (2 future Oscar winners), Raising Arizona tells the screwball comedy tale of a mis-matched

When I heard that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck were reuniting on a police/crime/action thriller I was excited. When I heard that it was going to be a straight-to-streaming Netflix film, I was trepidatious. I was right on both accounts. THE RIP tells the tale of a squad of Miami detectives that stumble across a large amount of drug cartel money. The tension comes into play as the squad divides over whether to turn the money in or keep some (or all) of it for themselves. It’s a

And…the Oscar for Best Acted Film (top to bottom) goes to the Norwegian film SENTIMENTAL VALUE. Written and Directed by Joachim Trier (who is Oscar nominated for both), SENTIMENTAL VALUE tells the tale of a family who’s matriarch passes away forcing the estranged patriarch to come back and to decide with his 2 adult children if they should sell the house that has been in their families’ possession for generations. There is much history in this house and it has it’s imperfect

Most people will sit down to watch the Craig Brewer Written and Directed Oscar Nominated film SONG SONG BLUE expecting to see a touching love story about 2 down on their luck singers who’s entertainment and personal lives are going nowhere only to be redeemed when these two plucky losers join together as an improbable Neil Diamond tribute act known as Lightning and Thunder. And, for the first half of this film, that is exactly what you get as Lightning (Hugh Jackman) and Thun